Fact file/Kuwait
Fact File
State of Kuwait
Fact file/Kuwait
Introduction:
Kuwait got the independence from Great Britain in 1961. Before that from 1899, being a colony
of British Empire, it was under the dynasty of Al-Sabah dynasty. The dynasty’s foreign policy
and defense was totally looked after by the British Empire.
Al-Sabah dynasty lost control of Kuwait for a shot span of time after the invasion of Iraq in
August1990, but returned in power in 1991 after the defeat and withdrawal of Iraqi forces by the
coalition forces led by America. After regaining the power the dynasty established an elected
legislator.
Again in 2010-11, fascinated by the Arab uprising, stateless Arabs, known as bidoon, staged
protests demanding citizenship, jobs and all other benefits, available to the Kuwaiti nationals. In
May 2011, youth activist group, supported by the opposition legislator and Prime Minister’s
rivals within the ruling party, staged protests, rallies and strikes and demanded for an end to
corruption and resignation of Prime Minister. These protests remained continue till September
2011.
Fact file/Kuwait
Geography:
Kuwait is situated in Middle East. Shaped roughly like a triangle, it is located at the far
Northwestern corner of Arabian Gulf. It shares borders with the Persian Gulf and oriented
between Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The total land boundary of Kuwait is 462 km, 240 km of which
it shares with Iraq and 222 km with Saudi Arabia. Its total costal expansion is 499 km. The total
land area of Kuwait is 17820 sq km. Its maritime claims expand 12 NM in Persian Gulf. The
most important feature of Kuwait’s geography is Kuwait Bay which indent its shoreline for about
40km which not only provide the natural protection to Kuwait port but also accounts for nearly
one half of the its shoreline.
Climate:
Dry desert, intensely hot summer, and short cool winter.
Natural Resources:
Petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas.
Society:
According to July 2012 estimate by CIA, total population of Kuwait is 2,646,313. The nonnationals among the total population are about 1,291,354. Ethnic demographical estimates show
that there are about 45% Kuwaitis, 35% Arabs, 9% South Asians, 4% Iranians and 7%
Fact file/Kuwait
Demography
7%
4%
9%
Kuwaiti
45%
Arabs
South Asian
Iranian
others
35%
Kuwait spends about 6.9 percent of its GDP (2009 est.). Currently Kuwait is spending about
2.6% of its GDP on health care sector (World Bank and IMF).
Government and Politics:
Government: Kuwait’s constitution was approved and promulgated on 11 November 1962. The
constitution specifies "hereditary emirate" and fixes succession among male "descendants of the
late Mubarak Al Sabah." Ruler in 1994 was Jabir al Ahmad al Jabir Al Sabah, who became Amir
in 1977. Sixty-member (fifty elected, ten appointed) National Assembly created in 1963,
suspended from 1976 to 1980 and again in 1986; replaced in 1990 with partially elected National
Council. National Assembly reconstituted by October 1992 elections. Opposition and
independent candidates-- including some nineteen Islamists--won thirty to thirty-five seats.
There are six governorates Muhafazah; Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra',
Hawalli and Mubarak al Kabir. Governance consists of three main branches; the Executive
Branch, the Legislative Branch and Judicial Branch.
Executive Branch:
The Executive Branch consists of Amir as the head of the state and its cabinet. Amir is heredity
and he appoints Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.Cabinet consists of council of
Fact file/Kuwait
ministers appointed by Prime Minister with the approval of Amir. The New cabinet formed in
February 2012.
Legislative Branch:
consists of unicameral National Assembly, which has total 66 seats, out of which 50 are selected
by popular voting system and 16 are appointed by the Prime Minister with the consent of Amir.
The last election was held in February 2012.
Judicial Branch:
The Judicial Branch consists of High Court of Appeal.
Politics:
Al Sabah family dominates political events, but several prominent merchant families also
powerful. Opposition, independent and Islamist elements becoming stronger in early 1990s.
There is no political party in Kuwait because formation of political party is illegal according to
the constitution. Among the political pressure groups there are Islamists, merchants, political
groups, secular liberals and pro-governmental deputies, Shia activists and tribal groups.
Amir
Prime Minister
National
Assembly
Cabinet
Deputy Prime
Minister
Fact file/Kuwait
Kuwait, an OPEC member country, is one of the world’s top producers and exporters of crude
oil. Kuwait has the world’s sixth largest oil reserves and is one of the ten largest exporters of
total oil products.
Market Opportunities:
The country’s crude oil reserves are estimated at nearly 101.5o billion barrels, approximately 9%
of the world’s reserves, and account for nearly half of Kuwait’s GDP, 95% of export revenues,
and 90% of government income. Kuwait’s economy has benefited from the sharp rise of oil
prices in recent years. Given that oil is the country’s main natural resource, Kuwait’s industries
are dominated by oil refining and downstream petrochemical processing. The non-petroleum
related manufacturing and agriculture sectors are limited, consisting of a switch gear
manufacturer for power sub stations and factories for building materials, furniture, and food
packaging.
In 2003, after the demise of Saddam government in Iraq, Kuwait’s economic and security
situation improved rapidly. In 2010, the Kuwaiti government passed a five year development
plan and allocated $104 billion for the development of infrastructure and diversification of
economy beyond the oil and gas industry.
Main imports are capital equipments, processed foods manufacturing equipment, and consumer
goods. Over 40% of imports originate from US, Germany and Japan, while Chinese and Indian
goods increasingly dominate low-end imports.
Facts and Figures of Kuwait’s Economy: 2011.
Population million inhabitants
Land area 1000 sq km
GDP per capita dollars
GDP at market prices billion dollar
Value of exports billion dollars
Value of imports billion dollars
Current account balance billion dollar
Value of petroleum exports billion dollars
Proven crude oil reserves 1000 b/d
Natural gas reserves billion cu m
Crude oil production 1000 barrels per day
Natural gas marketed production billion cu m
Refinery capacity 1000 b/d
Oil consumption 1000 b/d
Crude oil export 1000 b/d
Export of petroleum products 1000 b/d
Natural gas exports billion cu m
3.70
18
47787
176.67
103.49
25.27
73.87
96.72
101.50
1784.00
2659
13.53
936
361
1816
629.2
--
Fact file/Kuwait
Exchange rate national currency/$
0.3
Kuwait’s Mid Year Population (1000 inhabitants):
5000
4000
3000
4300
2000
4385
3442
3582
3697
2010
2011
1000
0
0
2007
:
2008
2009
GDP Record at Current Market Price (m $):
Country
Kuwait
2007
114,559
2008
147,544
2009
105,933
2010
124,247
2011
176,667
GDP Record at Current Market Price (m $):
200000
150000
100000
176667
147544
50000
114559
105933
124247
0
2007
2008
2009
2008
87446
2009
53974
2010
2011
Values of Exports (m $):
Country
Kuwait
2007
62498
2010
67036
2011
103490
Fact file/Kuwait
103490
87446
67036
62498
2007
53974
2008
2009
2010
2011
Value of Petroleum Exports (m $):
Country
Kuwait
2007
59006
2008
82672
2009
48914
2010
61754
2011
96724
120000
100000
80000
60000
20000
96724
82672
40000
59006
48914
61754
0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Value of Imports (m $):
Country
Kuwait
2007
21313
2008
24872
2009
20340
2010
22413
2011
52267
Fact file/Kuwait
60000
50000
40000
30000
52267
20000
10000
21313
24872
20340
22413
2007
2008
2009
2010
0
2011
Record of Current Account Balance:
Country
Kuwait
2007
41307
2008
60310
2009
25783
2010
36796
2011
73870
80000
60000
40000
73870
60310
20000
41307
25783
36796
0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Active Oil Rigs Record:
Country
Kuwait
2007
11
2008
19
2009
28
2010
56
2011
49
Fact file/Kuwait
60
50
40
30
56
49
20
10
0
28
19
11
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Oil Wells Completed in Past Five Years
Country
Kuwait
2007
73
2008
88
2009
83
2010
230
2011
295
350
300
250
200
150
295
230
100
50
73
88
83
2007
2008
2009
0
2010
2011
Producing Wells in Kuwait:
Country
Kuwait
2007
1103
2008
790
2009
1286
2010
1286
2011
1417
Fact file/Kuwait
1500
1000
500
1103
1286
1286
1417
2009
2010
2011
790
0
2007
2008
Cumulative Crude Oil Production up to and Including Year:
Country
Kuwait
45000000
40000000
35000000
30000000
25000000
20000000
15000000
10000000
5000000
0
1960
4,333,049
1970
13,028,906
1980
21,993,164
1990
25,857,094
2000
32,092,887
2011
41,518,527
41518527
21993164
25857094
32092887
13028906
4333049
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2011
Fact file/Kuwait
Defense and Security:
Defense Expenditures: (million US$)
Year
M$
2005
4725
2006
3789
2007
3986
2008
7089
2009
6783
2010
3910
2011
4050
Defense Expenditure m $
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
Defense Expenditure m $
3000
2000
1000
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Kuwait Defense Expenditures % of GDP:
Country
Kuwait
2005
4.3
2006
3.6
2007
3.6
2008
3.0
2009
3.9
2010
3.6
2011
3.2
Fact file/Kuwait
5
4
3
2
4.3
1
3
3.6
3
2006
2007
2008
3.9
3.6
3.2
2009
2010
2011
0
2005
Some Facts and Figures:
Main Battle Tanks (MBTs): 368
Fixed Wing Combat Aircrafts: 66
Military Man Powers: 15500
Military Man Power by Service:
Military Man Power by Service
2000
Army
2500
Air Force
11000
Paramilitary Men Power: 7100
Land Force Combat Units:
Navy
Fact file/Kuwait
SPECIAL FORCES
1 SF unit (forming)
MANOEUVRE
Reconnaissance:
1 mech/recce bde
Armored:
3 armd bde
Mechanized:
2 mech inf bde
Light:
1 cdo bn
Other
1 (Amiri) gd bde
Total Armored Fighting Vehicles:
MBTs: 293
AIFV/RECCE/LT TNK: 463
APCs: 357
Total Operational Other Armored Vehicles: 820
Total Operational Artillery:
Mortars: 78
MRLs: 27
Self-propelled: 106
Multiple Rocket Launchers 300 mm: 27
Fact file/Kuwait
Operational Combat Aircrafts: 66
Armed and Attacked Helicopters: 29
Multirole Combat Aircrafts: 39
Anti-ship and ASW Helicopters: 13
Warships with anti-ship missiles: 10
Amphibious Warfare Ships: 4 (Landing Crafts)
Land Based Air Defense System:
Country
Kuwait
Major SAM
40 PAC-2 Patriot
20-MIM-23B 1 Hawk
Phase III
12 Skyguard/ Aspide
Light SAM
AA Guns
12 Aspide
12 +oerlikon 35 mm
48 startbrust/FIM 92A
Stinger
Naval Ships by Category:
43
45
40
35
30
Amphibious
25
Petrol and Costal Combatant
20
10
Support
2
15
Support
4
5
Petrol and Costal Combatant
Amphibious
0
Naval Ships by
Category
Fact file/Kuwait
Pakistan and Kuwait Joint Ventures in Trade and Development:
There are almost 160 thousand Pakistanis in Kuwait. The cordial relations between both
countries become exemplary especially after the principled position adopted by Pakistan in Gulf
conflict. Pakistan sent almost 11600 troops to support American led coalition. After the conflict
Pakistan Army played an important role in de-mining operation. In 2004, at a very important
meeting of the Pak-Kuwait Joint Ministerial Commission, representatives from both sides agreed to
enhance bilateral trade from $800 million to 41billion by encouraging private sector investment. In
2005, Kuwait extended the assistance of $100 million for earthquake victims in Pakistan.
 Major Sources of Imports from Kuwait to Pakistan are oil and petroleum products,
organic chemicals, plastic iron and steel articles, boiler machinery and its related
applications.
 Major sources of export from Pakistan to Kuwait are Rice; made up textile articles,
cotton yarn and woven fabrics, telecommunication appliance and equipments and boiler
machinery and related equipments.
Major items of Exports from Pakistan to Kuwait: (m $):
Commodity
Description
Rice
Textile
Cotton Yarn and
Woven fabrics
Telecommunication
Boiler machinery &
appl.
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2.888
20.135
6.776
19.276
15.741
7.282
24.13
10.195
5.389
28.00
11.81
6.24
49.973
14.940
5.242
4.210
2.014
6.945
3.165
1.732
1.855
2.02
2.10
15.540
7.61
Major items of Import from Kuwait to Pakistan: (m $):
Commodity
Description
Petroleum
products
Organic
chemicals
Plastic
products
Iron &
Steel
Boiler
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
885.844
795.544
1563.92
1590.83
1958.063
70.019
90.464
90.045
91.43
156.73
18.21
28.977
28.676
29.12
55.62
6.754
14.006
10.433
10.59
21.70
0.311
1.948
1.927
1.956
1.962
Fact file/Kuwait
machinery
& mech.
Appl.
Imports record from Kuwait since 2001: (percentage share):
Year
% in
total
import
s share
2001 2002
-02
-03
7.09 6.59
2003 2004 2005 2006
-04
-05
-06
-07
6.35 4.56 5.96 5.66
2007
-08
7.50
2008 2009
-09
-10
6.6
6.9
2010 2011
-11
-12
8.2
8.4
9
8.2
8
7
8.4
7.5
7.09
6.59
6
6.6
6.35
5.96
6.9
5.66
5
4.56
4
3
2
1
0
2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
Exchange Rate Position (Pakistan Rupee in Terms of One Unit of Dinar)
Year
200203
Rupe 194.56
77
es
200304
194.36
81
200405
202.38
16
200506
205.32
58
200607
209.81
18
200708
228.29
54
200809
281.27
42
200910
291.66
04
201011
304.41
59
2011
-12
319.7
528
Fact file/Kuwait
350
300
0.00
281.2742
0.00
291.6604
0.00
304.4159
0.00
319.7528
250
0.00
228.2954
200
209.8118
205.3258 0.00
202.3816 0.00
0.00
194.5677 0.00
194.3681 0.00
150
100
50
0
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
Record of workers Remittance from Kuwait: (m $ and % share)
Year
199192
Million 44.24
$
%
3.53
Share
Year
2001
-02
Millio 89.6
n$
6
%
3.83
Share
199293
60.22
199394
47.85
199495
57.86
199596
45.43
199697
38.38
199798
52.40
1998- 1999- 200099
2000
01
106.36 135.25 123.39
4.86
4.38
4.39
3.70
3.56
4.23
12.15
200203
221.2
3
5.28
200304
177.0
1
4.63
200405
214.7
8
5.17
200506
246.7
5
5.38
200607
288.7
1
5.26
200708
384.5
8
5.96
200809
432.0
5
5.53
200910
445.0
9
5.00
14.81
201011
445.1
9
4.42
12.08
201112
431.9
8
4.44
Fact file/Kuwait
500
450
0
445.19
445.09
0
432.05
0
400
384.58
0
350
300
288.71
0
250
246.75
0
221.23
0
200
214.78
0
0
177.01
150
135.25
0
123.39
0
0
106.36
89.66
0
100
50
60.22
0
57.86
0
52.4
0
47.85
0
45.43
0
44.24
0
38.38
0
0
Workers’ Remittances Record: (% Share)
0
Fact file/Kuwait
16
14.81
0
14
12.15
0
12
12.08
0
10
8
6
5.96
0
4.39
0
4.38
0
4
3.53
0
5.38
0
5.26
0
5.17
0
5.28
0
4.86
0
4.23
0
3.7
0
3.56
0
4.63
0
5.53
0
5
0
4.42
0
3.83
0
2
0
0
Fact file/Kuwait
References used in Fact-file:
Ministry of Finance Kuwait
Ministry of Commerce Kuwait
Library of Congress Country profile sheets
World Bank Statistics
International Monetary Fund Statistics
CIPRI Year Book 2010-2011
National Bank of Kuwait’s Report on Economic Overview
IEA, Department of Energy United States
US Commercial Service Kuwait, State Department US.
Global Investment House
WTO Trade data base, World Development Indicators, Federal Bureau of Statistics, Pakistan
Revenue
State Bank of Pakistan
CIA fact book 2012